Products for contact lens disinfection by chemical means are intended to reduce microbial contamination introduced during lens wear and removal, cleaning and storage and are required to contain antimicrobial agents capable of achieving this. Contact lenses are normally subject to a regimen of cleaning and contact lens disinfection between periods of wear. Aqueous solutions containing cleaning and/or disinfecting agents are commonly used for this purpose.
Many multi-purpose solutions that may be used to clean, disinfect, and wet contact lenses, followed by direct insertion into the eye, are available. Multi-purpose solutions must be strong enough to kill harmful microorganisms that may be present or grow on the lenses while being gentle enough to use on the eyes. Such a solution also must be compatible with the many contact lens materials in use, which includes rigid gas permeable, traditional soft hydrophilic lenses (both high and low water content) and silicone hydrogel lenses. Measures of contact lens compatibility include contact lens discoloration, physical parameter change, fragility, and uptake/release of solution components, especially antimicrobial agents. Contact lens care solutions, such as a multi-purpose solutions (MPSs) (sometimes called “all-in-one” solutions), attempt to balance cleaning and disinfection ability with safety and comfort on the eyes. The addition of more effective disinfecting agents usually has the effect of reducing contact lens material compatibility or ocular comfort of the solution. One way to achieve additional material compatibility and comfort is to reduce the amount of disinfecting agent. However, conventional knowledge dictates that this results in lower antimicrobial efficacy.
There is need for an ophthalmic antimicrobial that exhibits broad and strong biocidal efficacy while causing minimal ocular irritation or user discomfort. The disclosed compositions and methods address this need by providing an aqueous soluble complex containing at least one bioflavonoid.
Certain compositions comprising bioflavonoids having some anti-bacterial and anti-viral activity are known.
US2007/0207116, whose entire disclosure is herein incorporated by reference, relates to ophthalmic compositions comprising at least one antioxidant agent chosen from a carotenoid, glutathione, reduced glutathione, glutathione enhancers, a lipoic acid, a bioflavonoid, an oleanoic acid, ascorbyl palmitate, aloe vera extract, an omega-6 fatty acid, melatonin, and vitamin E acetate.
WO2008/061536, whose entire disclosure is herein incorporated by reference, relates to compositions comprising at least one bioflavonoid for the treatment or amelioration of a disease or disorder of the eye and/or the adnexa of the eye in an animal subject, including a human being.
WO02/20028, whose entire disclosure is herein incorporated by reference, relates to compositions and methods for preventing eye disorders by protecting cells from damaging effects of free radicals. The methods involves administering to a subject a composition comprising alpha-lipoic acid, natural mixed tocopherols, vitamin C, citrus bioflavonoids, pine bark extract, lutein, natural mixed carotenoids and vitamin A.
WO2008/009958, whose entire disclosure is herein incorporated by reference, relates to an oral composition having a pH in the range of from 3 to 8.5, comprising: (a) in the range of from 0.1% to <10% w/w (based on the total weight of the oral composition) of a stock solution comprising a mixture of bioflavonoids and fruit acids or salts thereof; and (b) water; and, optionally, (c) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor.
EP2198862, whose entire disclosure is herein incorporated by reference, relates to bioflavonoids for the use in the treatment of parasitic infection.